Why are the media (e.g., The Straits Times) so focused on Maximilian Maeder?
The Straits Times put him on its front page in its publication on 17 December 2025 (see below), as though he was Singapore's sole gold medallist at the South-East Asian Games the previous day.
Maeder is again given prominent billing in the Sports section, despite there being equally or more deserving athletes.
Such as fencer Juliet Heng who defended her South-East Asian Games crown against Thailand's Tonkhaw Phokaew despite losing 4-5 to her in the pool stage.
Or 14-year-old swimmer Julia Yeo who helped the women's team win gold in the 4x100 metres medley relay despite being told 20 minutes before the event to swim in Levenia Sim's place as Sim had suffered a shoulder injury whilst warming up.
On its part, MediaCorp's Channel 5 News Tonight featured Maeder and interviewed him, but did not have the time to mention the fencers' three gold medals. It was as though Singapore won only one gold (Maeder's) on 16 December.
Maeder is ranked world number one in kite foiling and won bronze at the 2024 Olympics and world titles. Could he have failed to win gold in a small field of just three other kite foilers? Not impossible, but extremely unlikely.
The Straits Times reporter Melvyn Teoh's gushing over Maeder being a Games debutant (Victorious Max Seeks Perfection, The Straits Times, 17 Dec 2025) is incomprehensible. I also wonder why he thought he needed to remind us of Maeder's achievements.
